Pottsylvania
Pottsylvania is a fictional country that appeared in the television series Rocky and His Friends and The Bullwinkle Show, collectively referred to as Rocky and Bullwinkle. Population The rough number of people within the country is unknown, but it is noted that the country is filled with crooks and spies all over the country. Notable Residents (Alphabetical by Last Name) *Boris Badenov *Mr. Big *Natasha Fatale *Fearless Leader Culture It was noted for being a nation dedicated to all matters related to espionage and deceitfulness. Casual conversations would have double meanings, its highest honor was the Double Cross, and its newspaper, The Pottsylvania Eavesdropper, was printed in invisible ink. The Ice Cream Man sold top secret documents, the hotel required a password, and the hotel told everyone to sign as Smith to keep everyone anonymous. Populated almost entirely by government agents and saboteurs, Pottsylvania is described in post-Cold War media as the one nation where the cold war never thawed. Many areas of Pottsylvania such as Ailartsua praised all forms of crime, such as bank-robbing, children destroying gardens, double-crossing, and even attempting to run over old ladies. A person would even be punished and sent to jail for good deeds. They are unfriendly towards tourists and outsiders, putting all of them into jail, likely as a result of their secrecy. However, prison guards are prone to bribes to free the prisoners. "Go Home Yankee" signs could also be seen on windows of homes and businesses. Outside of their espionage-centered culture, Fearless Leader stated that Pottsylvania has no art or culture. Education Children were taught in schools their ABC's: Assassination, Bomb throwing, and Conspiracy. Universities offered courses in particular crimes, such as the University of Safecracking. Media Pottsylvania has notoriously bad television programming, to the point where Boris Badenov planned on weaponizing it to blackmail the United States, and even Fearless Leader couldn't bear watching it. Commercials last for hours on end and are poorly constructed, making them unbearable to watch. Economy Pottsylvania's industries, besides espionage, included the production of a vehicle called the "Assassin-8". Millions were built despite Pottsylvania having only 6 miles of road, which caused enormous traffic jams, and nearly destroyed Pottsylvania's economy. International Trade Unfortunately, according to Fearless Leader in the Goof Gas story arc, Pottsylvania has no natural resources, art, or other things to offer in trade with outside countries. As a result, their economy is very weak, and the government uses theft and trickery to keep the nation from crashing. However, in the newspaper strip they have been shown to steal items needed for exports, such as a mold for Statue of Liberty souvenirs from 1939, which they used to create little Statue of Liberty statues to export to the USA. Fearless Leader states this was one of Pottsylvania's biggest exports. It is also mentioned that some citizens are punished by having to work in The Salt Mines. It is unknown if this salt is exported or solely kept in the country. Government The government of Pottsylvania is headed by a uniformed dictator known only as Fearless Leader. However, Fearless Leader works for the government head Mr. Big. Mr. Big works behind the scenes in the shadows, while Fearless Leader seems to act as Pottsylvania's public figure and military leader. The people do have elections, but the elections are often rigged in Mr. Big's favor, and oftentimes only Mr. Big is on the ballot. Foreign Relations They are stated to have no friends or allies and are stated to have declared war on the world without telling them in the Goof Gas story arc. Military As a nation of spies, the country generally relies on stealth and infiltration rather than direct force. Boris Badenov and Natasha Fatale seemed to be Fearless Leader's most frequently used secret agents, often sent to execute the country's schemes for gaining global power. However, this appears to only be for practical reasons, as Fearless Leader shows great distrust towards Boris, and at one point is furious that Boris is the only agent available in Missouri. Other than being a nation of spies, they are shown to have a normal, formal military comprised of soldiers. Fearless Leader himself wears a military uniform, suggesting he is head of the military and directly involved in military affairs. However, in the Good Gas story arc, one of the other Pottsylanian politicians states they would not do well in war because, "We are all cowards!" Law Many good deeds are punishable under Pottsylvanian law, while most bad deeds (considered crimes in other countries) are encouraged and taught in schools. Exactly how far this goes, however, is unknown, although it is implied violent crimes are acceptable under Pottsylvanian law, as well. However, targeting the government is punishable by government officials. Flag and Symbols Original The Pottsylvanian Flag is shown to be a black flag with a skull and crossbones on it. The skull and crossbones are also featured on Fearless Leader's hat, and a plane in the comics, meaning it is highly likely that the skull and crossbones is the national symbol of Pottsylvania. Other prominent symbols include The Triple Cross and the Double Double Cross. The Triple Cross is mentioned in the cartoon, but only shown in the newspaper comic strips, represented as three X's in a triangle. The Double Double Cross is mentioned in the comics. 2018 The new Pottsylvanian emblem is a red raised fist in a black circle, referencing an "iron fist" and can be seen all around Fearless Leader's base. Geography Natural landmarks included "Whynchatakea Peak ", a large mountain. The geography of Pottsylvania is indeterminate, however. In some episodes, it appears to be a peninsula, while in others it appears to be either a coastal nation (with seaports) or completely landlocked. Nevertheless, it is accessible by submarine, which appears to be the main form of entry. It is usually shown to be filled with or surrounded by mountains. In the 2018 reboot, it is shown to be an island and is stated to be a very tiny country. Flora Flora in Pottsylvania included the man-eating Venus flytrap-like plant known as the "Pottsylvania Creeper ," and one of the world's few supplies of mooseberry bushes – mooseberries being an ingredient used (in Rocky and Bullwinkle's world) for the production of rocket fuel. Unfortunately, the last Mooseberry Bush was destroyed. Sublocations *Grimalayas *Ailartsua *Pottsylvanian Salt Mines National anthem "Hail Pottsylvania" is the national anthem of Pottsylvania, which is sung in the Missouri Mish Mash arc by Fearless Leader and Boris. It also appears in The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle. Lyrics: Hail, Pottsylvania Hail to the black and the blue! Hail, Pottsylvania Sneaky and crooked through and through, Down with the good guys, up with the boss Under the sign of the triple cross, hey! Hail, Pottsylvania, Hail, hail, hail! (Video with the song as used in the film below) Real World Information Pottsylvania is a parody of a Cold War-era Eastern European country (possibly intended as a satire on East Germany: Pottsylvanian characters often use German words, and the Iron Cross can be seen on military aircraft). While many considered Pottsylvania to be a spoof, it was considered offensive by the government of the Soviet Union, which banned Rocky & Bullwinkle as anti-Soviet propaganda. Trivia *The term "Triple Cross" in their national anthem likely refers to the act of betraying two parties instead of just one; in other words, one step more than double-crossing someone. **It is revealed in the newspaper comics to be a medal one can earn. Gallery See Pottsylvania/Gallery Videos The Adventures Of Rocky & Bullwinkle 15 - Hail, Hail Pottsylvania Goof Gas The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle (SNES) - Pottsylvania The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle (2000) Category:Locations Category:Villains